Retracting mechanism for switchboards and the like



May- 6, 1941.

RETRACTING MECHNISM FOR SWITCHBOARDS AND THE 'LIKE Filed July 27, 1939 -....Hwu

y INVENTOR. HHROLD o @comfy A ORNEY.

VL B Patented May 6, 1941 RETRACTING MECHANIsM FOB sfvvr'ron- BOARDS AND THE-LIKE Harold l). Godfrey, Rochester, Y.aslsigunor to The Stromberg-Carlson .Telephone Manufacturing Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 27, 1939, serai NQ. A236,845

7 claims. 4(o1. 179-95) This invention relates to retracting mechanisms for flexible conductors, and particularly for use with the cords of telephone switchboards.

l In making switchboards, particularly those of the multiple type wherein the operator in addition 'to completing `calls upon her own section must .complete calls on adjacent sections, thereby necessitating the use of long cords, the manufacturerA is confronted with the problem of providingsuitable retracting means for drawing the cordsv into the switchboard cabinet and storing them while not in use. This problem is particularly acute in low switchboards having the plug shelf at desk height. It will be appreciated that in this type of switchboard, the relatively small vertical space available below the plug shelf tends to-limit the length ofthe cord which may be used soV that` the effective area over which any particular cord may be used is somewhat restricted. Also, certain of the retracting means heretofore used for drawing the cords into the switchboard cabinet. have comprised unrestrained weights whichrdescended so rapidly as to put a severe strain on thecord, materially shortening the life ofthe cord.- It is a purpose of the present invention to overcome the defects present in known retracting mechanisms for telephone cords and to provide a retracting mechanism which is particularly .suitable for switchboards having the plug shelf` at desk height.

Itis accordingly an object of this invention to mount al cord retracting mechanism in such a manner within a switchboard cabinet that a cord of `maximum length may be used therewith.

- It isa further object of the invention to provide a retractingi mechanism for telephone cords which at alltimesguides the cord in a iixed path within the switchboard cabinet to thereby substantially eliminate kinking or twisting of the cord.

1 It is another object of the invention to provide alretracting mechanism for telephone cords and the like in which the speed of retraction of the cordior. the like is kept at a reasonable rate by the. frictional engagement of a weighted disk withthe guide` rails on which the disk is mounted.

Itis still-a further object of the invention to provide an improved retracting mechanism for telephone cords and the like which is substantially noiseless in operation and which reduces the wear on the cord or the like to a minimum thereby prolonging the useful life thereof.

The present invention is also useful for retracting other'flexible conductors such as hoses or the like used ior the distribution of gases and liquids.. Y v

for storingthe retracted telephone cords.

These and otherfeatures of the invention will appear from the detailed description and claims when taken with the drawing in which:

Fig. l is alfront view of a conventional switchboard cabinet to which the invention may be applied;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken online 2-2 of Fig, l; l'illustratingone manner of applying the retracting mechanism of thepresent invention to the c'uabinet; l p

Fig.'Av 3 is afragmentary section taken'yon line 3 3 of Fig; l2,1 illustrating particularly the relation of the disk and guide rails with respect to the telephone cord; l

Fig;v 4isa face view of a portion of one of the guide rails, illustrating an alternative manner of securing the cushioning or frictional material thereto;

Fig. 5is avertical cross-section through a gasoline pump casing illustrating the application of theinverlition thereto, the section being takenon substantially line 5--5 of- Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal `section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and A Fig.l'7 a section similar to Fig. 6 illustrating a further modication ofthe invention. y

In Figures 1. and 2 of the drawing, there is shown a conventional switchboard cabinet generally designated 5 which includes the panel sec- `tion 6 having jacks 1 mounted therein. A-plugshelf 8 projecting from the front of the cabinet is provided with suitable openings from which the plugs 9 extend in aiconvenient position to be reached by the operator. For the purpose of simplify-ing the disclosure of the present invention there have been illustrated but eight jacks and cfour plugs, it being understood that the switchboard may have any desired number of plugs vand jacks. Since the retracting mechanism to be hereinafter described is the same for each cord,

`These partitions may be disposed at an angle to the vertical in the `manner shown in Fig. 2 to provide additional leg room for the telephone operator as well as to provide a space of greater lengthv .than the vertical height of the shelf 8,

It will.

CII

being secured in conventionalk manner to the plug 9 projecting upward from and normally resting? in its related plug seat on the shelf 8. The intermediate portion of the telephone cord is looped about the hub or center portion I of a grooved disk I6. This disk includes the side plates I'I which may be riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the respective faces of hub I5 to pro` vide a relatively deep groove I8 for receiving the bight of the cord I3. As shown particularly in Fig. 3 the groove I8 also receives the flanges I9 of the guide rails 28. These guide rails are conveniently formed of angle iron, and extend in vertical alinement being secured, as by means of screws 2I, to the opposing faces of the partitions- II and I2.

In order to reduce the noise of operation of the retracting mechanism and to increase the frictional contact between the pulley and the rails, a suitable covering of cloth, leather, rubber or the like may be provided on the rails, this material being inthe form of strips 22 which may be riveted, cemented or otherwise suitably secured over the free edges of the anges I9. 'I'hese strips have the added function of protecting the cord from injury by the guide rails. In stead of applying the strip of material to the guide rails in the manner shown in Fig. 3 the flanges may have holes 23 therethrough as shown in Fig. 4, to receive a strip 24 of rubber, leather or the like laced thru these holes and over the free edge of the flange in the manner shown in Fig. 4.

In order to 4prevent kinking of the cord adjacent the fastening means I4, a curved member 25 which may comprise a coil of resilient material, is secured to the cabinet to support the cord at the point where it enters the space between the partitions II and I2. The curvedA member 25 also provides a flexible extension for the lower guide rail 20, and has the added function of guiding the 'grooved disk to the lower guide rail in assembling the device. When it is desired to repair or` replace the' cord Vor theV disk, the plug shelf which is preferably hinged, may be raised to permit removal of the cord and the disk, the coiled member being compressed to allow the disk to be disengaged from the upper guide rail 28 andwithdrawn from the switch-1 board cabinet.

It will be clear from Ythe above description that when the operator raises aplug to insert it in any one of the jacks, the cord I3 will be kept taut at all times by the weight of the ascending disk, which is guided in its movement by the rails 20, preventing kinking and twisting of the cord. When the operator removes the plug from a jack, the weighted disk immediately begins to descend on the guide rails to pull the cord for that plug into its storage'position shown in Fig. 2.` The movement of the disk on the guide railsi is slightly resisted by the frictional engagementbetween the pulley and covering 22, so that the cord will not be jerked when the descent of the pulley ls stopped by the engagement of the plug with its plug seat.

It will be understood that the retractive force on the cord may be varied by changing the pitch of the guides 20 or the weight of the disk I6. It will also be appreciated that various materials other than those mentioned above, may be used on the guides 2D to vary the frictional effect of the strips 22.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to the cords of a telephone switchboard, it will be appreciated that it may also be used for retracting other flexible conductors, such as hoses used for distributing compressed air, gasoline or other gasses and fluids. The present invention may also be used whereever it is desired to store a exible Wire, cable, conduit or the like while not in use, but which is Y instantly available. Thus, in Figs. 5 and 6 there has been illustrated, in section, a gasoline pump casing with the invention applied thereto for retracting the gasoline delivery hose into the casing. The various operating parts of the gasoline pump and metering devices are well known and have not been illustrated since they form no part of the present invention.

In Fig. 5 reference character 30 generally indicates a gasoline pump casing having an opening 3I thru which the delivery hose 32 extends. The hose is stored within the casing when not in use and is connected to the fixed supply pipe 33. As shown in the drawing the hose is trained over the pulley 34 disposed in the upper part of the casing and mounted for rotation on the axle 35. This pulley is preferably grooved to facilitate guiding of the hose. 'I'he hose 32 is also trained over the grooved disk 3B which may be suitably weighted by using a solid or partly solidI hub portion 3l to assist in retracting the hose. As shown particularly in Fig 6 the grooved disk 36 is guided for vertical movement by means of the guide or channel members 38 which may have cushioning or frictional material such as felt, rubber, leather or the like secured over the flanges thereof, as indicated at 39. 'Ihe channel members are secured within the casing in any suitable manner. 'I'he frictional material V39 functions in the same manner as the strips 22 and 24 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, in that it reduces the noise of operation and increases the frictional contact between the disk 36 and the channel members 38. The operation of the retracting mechanism just described is as follows: When it is desired to withdraw the hose from the casing the attendant merely pulls on the hose causing the weighted disk 36 to ascend within the casing, the disk being guided by the channel members 38. The pulley 34 rotates on its axle 35 to'guide the hose thru the opening 35. When the attendant releases the hose the weighted disk 36 descends along the channel members drawing the hose into the casing where it is stored. It will be appreciated that if it is desired to use a hose of a length which cannot be conveniently stored in a casing of conventional heignth, it is only necessary to provide a pit in the base on which the casing is supported and extend the channel members into the pit so that thedisk and hose may be guided into the pit.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a further modification of the retracting mechanism in which the grooved disk 40 over which the telephone cord, hose or the like is to be trained, is guided by means of a channel member 4I having its flanges v afa/11,196

disposed adjacent the outer faces of the disk and a member 42, parallel to the member 4l and which may comprise an inverted channel, disposed within the groove of the weighted disk. As in the previously described constructions, the guiding members 4| and 42 will be mounted on suitable supports and may be provided with a covering 43 which may be felt, leather, rubber or the like.

What I claim is:

1. In a switchboard or the like, a pair of spaced, elongated guide rails supported in opposed parallel relation, said guide rails being inclined ,with respect to the horizontal, a grooved disk supported on said rails, with the rails disposed in the groove of said disk, and a cord or the like anchored at one end and looped over said disk, with the bight thereof disposed between said rails and the bottom of said groove.

2. A switchboard comprising a pair of spaced members, a strip of angle iron secured to each of said members, the flange of one strip being in the same plane with and parallel to a ange of the other strip, a grooved disk, said flanges of said strips of angle iron having strips of flexible material secured thereto, said flanges seating in the groove of said disk, and a telephone cord anchored at one end and looped over said disk and disposed between the free edges of said flanges and the bottom of the groove of said disk.

3. A retracting mechanism comprising a ilexible member anchored at one end, a grooved disk, said member being trained over and seated in the groove of sai-d disk, means for guiding said disk, said means including a pair of spaced parallel guide rails seated in the groove of said disk at diametrically opposite parts thereof and strips of flexible material secured to said guide rails and engaging said disk.

4. Retracting mechanism for telephone cords or the like comprising a disk including a hub portion and spaced flange portions providing a relatively deep groove in said disk, a pair of spaced parallel guide members supported in opposed relation, the diameter of said hub portion being less than the distance between said guide members, said guide members being received in the groove of said pulley between said flange portions and a cord anchored at one end, said cord being looped about said disk with the bight thereof disposed between said hub portion and said guide members.

5. A retracting mechanism comprising a flexible member anchored at one end, a grooved disk, said member being trained over and seated in the groove of said disk, means for guiding said disk, said means including a pair of spaced parallel guide rails seated in the groove of said disk at diametrically opposite parts thereof, and a flexible covering secured over the portion of said guide rails which seats in the groove of said disk.

6. A retracting mechanism comprising a flexible member anchored at one end, a grooved disk, said member being trained over and seated in the groove of said disk, means for guiding said disk, said means including a pair of spaced, parallel channel members, said disk being seated in the space between the flanges of said channel member to be guided thereby, and a flexible covering secured to the inner surfaces of said flanges of the channel members in a position to engage said disk.

7. A retracting mechanism comprising a eX- ible member anchored at one end, a grooved disk, said member being trained over and seated in the groove of said disk, and means for guiding said disk, said means including a pair of spaced parallel guide members seated in the groove of said Idisk at diametrically opposite parts thereof.

HAROLD D. GODFREY. 

